Donnie Darko returning to theaters

Filmmaker Richard Kelly’s beloved cult classic film Donnie Darko is marking its 15th anniversary by returning to theaters, Entertainment Weekly can exclusively reveal. Starting March 31, a 4K restoration of the Jake Gyllenhaal-starring movie will play weeklong engagements at Cinefamily in Los Angeles and the Metrograph in New York, as well as at venues in Denver, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, and San Francisco. The following week, the film will expand to Detroit’s Cinema Detroit and the Alamo Drafthouse Montecillo in El Paso. Donnie Darko will also play special engagements in other cities, including Jacksonville, Austin, Dallas, and Baton Rouge. The restoration, which has been overseen by Arrow Films, will receive its U.S. premiere on March 30 at the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles with Kelly and cast members in attendance.

A brain-melting mix of science fiction film and high school drama, Donnie Darko stars Gyllenhaal as a troubled teenager, whose imaginary friend — a six-foot tall rabbit — informs him the world will end in 28 days. Gyllenhaal’s costars include his sister Maggie, Jenna Malone, the late Patrick Swayze, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Katherine Ross, and Noah Wyle.

“Auditioning at a young age, I was always like, ‘What are these movies about? My high school experience wasn’t like this at all,’” Gyllenhaal told PEOPLE and EW editorial director Jess Cagle last year. “And then Donnie Darko came up and I was like, ‘Oh, this feels like my high school experience.’ [Laughs.] So if that gives you any insight into who I am and how I pick roles, then I hope it does.”